Steve Prescott's fund-raising while battling cancer won him many admirers far beyond rugby league. He was also the first person in the world to have high-risk, revolutionary transplant surgery just before he died: his doctor says "he carved a path where there was none .. achieved a result on a cosmic scale for patients."Watch our exclusive report - as Steve's wife Linzi meets the first person to have the procedure successfully - saved thanks to her husband's bravery.

Linzi Prescott told BBC North West Tonight: "It's amazing to meet Claire finally - when it's something so rare it makes you feel quite close to them. After diagnosis Steve changed as a person and it moulded the person he became. He turned his sights to helping other people. He went through what he went through for somebody else and not for nothing, really.

Claire Place had a similar transplant operation pioneered by Steve Prescott. His pancreas, duodenum, small bowel, stomach and stomach wall were transplanted at Oxford's Churchill Hospital as part of the lengthy experimental operation.

Claire Place was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma eight years ago and underwent a similar multi-organ transplant when traditional treatment started to fail.

She said: "I feel great, it's amazing. It's nice to be able to eat and drink again. Even things like walking the dog is easy again now."